Ironing machine



Patented Mar. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFECE 2,149,738 InoNrNol MACHINE Application April 2, 1936, Serial No. 72,249

` 1 Claim.

'I'his invention relates to domestic ironing machines and more particularly to an improved cover construction for such machines.

A feature of the invention is the provision of a cover that either may be tilted or otherwise shifted from a position concealing the ironing devices to one exposing the same or may be readily and completely removed from the machine to provide greater access to the ironing devices. It has been a particular object to devise a construction of this character that is simple, inexpensive, and easy to handle.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the detailed description of an illustrative form of the same which will now be given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an end view of the upper portion of an ironing machine showing the cover in an elevated position above the machine to indicate the manner of applying and removing vthe cover.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional view through the upper portion of the machine showing the cover in full lines in its concealing position and in dotted lines in its tilted or exposing position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, elevational View along the line 3-3 of Figure 1, showing a cover hinge in detail.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section along the line 4-4 of Figure 2, showing a detail of the corner construction of the cover, and

Fig. 5 is a vertical section along the line 5 5 of Figure 4 showing a detail.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Figures 1 and 2 the top table portion I0 of a supporting structure of any convenient form. In general the ironer may be of the type illustrated in the Haney Design Patent No. 95,037 granted April 2, 1935. At one end of the table there may be provided a housing II which serves as the support for the ironing elements and encloses the operating gearing and control devices therefor. The ironing elements may include a shoe I2 supported from an arm I3 by means of a pair of links I4, theupper of which has connected therewith a handle I5 by which the links I4 may be rocked to carry the shoe away from a roller I6. It will be understood that in addition to this manual means for shifting the shoe, there will be provided power-driven means within the housing II for rocking the arm I3, in a manner not shown but well known in the art.

Heretofore it has been the common practice to leave the ironing elements and the supporting structure, described above, exposed at all times.

In accordance with the present invention, however, a cover is provided to normally conceal these parts. This cover, as best shown in Fig. 2, is preferably formed in three sections, including a front section Il, a similar back section I8, and a central section I9. The front section has an outwardly projecting flange 20 along its inner edge extending around three sides of a rectangle while the rear section I8 has a similar flange 2 I. Central section I9 is provided with cooperating flanges 22, which may be secured in any convenient way, as by welding, to the flanges 20 and 2l. The net result of this construction is to provide a box-like structure having an open bottom and having a central, raised band formed by the section I9 extending around the ends and the top of the cover which will then present an appearance substantially as shown in my Design Patent No. 98,072 granted January 7, 1936. Preferably the three sections of the cover are formed of sheet metal, although any other suitable material might be used in lieu thereof. The bottom edges of the sections Il and I3 are preferably folded back upon themselves, as indicated at 23, to eliminate a sharp, lower edge. At the front of section I8 the folded bottom portion may be of slightly greater extent and its upper end may be bent into a V-shape, as indicated at 24. This will afford additional stiffness and strength to the relatively long section extending substantially from one end to the other of the cover. The lower edges of section I9 are bent inwardly in a horizontal direction to the plane of the ends of sections Il and I8 and may, if desired, be doubled back upon themselves to avoid the formation of a sharp, free edge.

At the corners of the front section Il provision is made for retaining a pad element 26 formed of rubber, felt or any other suitable material Which may engage the top I0 without scratching the same and will prevent rattling of the cover as the machine is moved about. Any convenient means may be provided for retaining the pad 26 in place, such as a bracket 25 having its upper portion welded or otherwise secured to the inner face of section Il and having an inwardly and downwardly bent portion providing a pocket to receive the pad 26. The pad, as shown, extends downwardly below the lower edge of the cover to a slight extent and is adapted to cooperate with an angular portion 2l formed at the edge of the top- I0. It will be understood that this construction is duplicated at the two front corners.

For supporting the back of the cover there is preferably attached to the section I8 a plurality of hook elements 28 bent to provide a downwardly openinghook 29. One of these elements is secured, as by welding or the like, to the back face of section I8 adjacent each corner. If desired one or more additional hook elements of the same type may be provided intermediate the ends of the back section or, if preferred, a `single long hook extending substantially from end to endY of the cover might be employed. In Vertical alinement with the hooks 29 there is attached to the frame of the machine, as by welding to the topV portion Ill, a bracket 39 extending some distance above the top I8. It will be understood that a bracket of this sort is provided for each of the hooks 29. Each bracket is provided with a pair of upstanding portions 3| curled around a pin 32. This pin is held rmly by the curled ends 3| and is prevented from axial movement by side portions. 33 bent rearwardly from the brackets 30. These side portions lend rigidity to' the bracket and also extend partly across the ends of the pin 32 to retain the latter. When vthe cover is in place on the machine, the hooks 29 will engage their respective pins 32 andY thereby provide a firm support Yfor the back of the cover. Y When it is desired to expose the ironing elements and use the machine, the cover may simply be tilted backwardly about the pins 32 as a pivot until the cover assumes the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 2. In order to retain the cover in this position, suitable limiting means is preferably provided at each end. For this .purpose a plate 34 is preferably secured to the inner surfaces of the ends of the cover, as by welding to the ends of the sections l1 and I8. These plates bridge across the channel formed by the section i9. A pivot pin 35, preferably located near the lower back corner of each of the plates 36, carries a downwardly extending link 36. This link passes through a slot 31 formed in the top I9 adrjacent the end of the latter and is provided with a notch 38 adaptedV to engage the rear edge of the slot when the cover is tilted into the dotted-line position (Fig. 2). It will be seen that in this way the movement of the cover is automatically limited as it is tilted backwardly about the pivot pins At times the space available when the machine is in use may be insuicient to permit the cover to be tilted in the manner explained or it may be that appropriate Yaccess to the ironing elements requires more complete removal of the cover. For this purpose the cover may be simply raised into the position shown in Fig. 1, care being taken to rock the links 36 forwardly a slight extent to prevent engagement of the notch Y38 with the rear edge of the slot 31. VThere is nothing then to prevent the complete removal of the cover, which may be set aside as desired. l Rocking of the links 36 for this purpose may be effected in various ways, as by holding each of them with a nger as the cover is raised or by simply tilting the cover forwardly, Vas it is raised, to a sufficient extentlto prevent engagement of notch 38 with the end Yof slot 31.

Accordingly it will be seen that the present invention provides a construction in which the cover may, under normal circumstances, be tilted backwardly around a xed pivot and held in a position at 90 degrees to its original position while at the same time complete detachment of the cover from the machine may be readily effected by a simple bodily movement of the cover. In shifting the cover from the closed to the dotted-line position of Figure 2 it may, if desired, be lifted slightly before rocking it backwardly. This would cause temporary disengagement of the hooks 29 from pins 32 and would normally be done only in case the cover were of such size and form that it could not be rocked backwardly Without first lifting it.

While an illustrative form of the invention has been described in considerable detail, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the variout parts without departing from the principles and scope of the invention. VThe terms and expressions employed herein are to be understood as terms of description and not of limitation.

What I claim is: Y

In combination, a frame, a cover, means for supporting said cover on said frame, said means providing a iixed pivot hinge comprising a fixed pivot on one of said members, a readily disengageable open hook on the other of said members for detachable and pivotal connection with said pivot, said frame having a slot, and a link pivotally attached to said cover arranged to cooperate with said frame'at said slot to limit the pivotal movement of said cover to substantially 90, said link being detachable from said frame to permit complete detachment of the cover when raised bodily to disengage said open hook, the open hook being arranged vertically so that said link will prevent bodily horizontal movement of the cover when the cover is at the limit of its opening movement. Y

GUSTAV B. KEIL. 

